Electric terminal clamp



June 30, 1953 c. A. DANBERG 2,644,142

ELECTRIC TERMINAL CLAMP Filed March 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.CHARLES A.DA/VBER6 June 30, 1953 c. A. DANBERG 2,644,142

ELECTRIC TERMINAL CLAMP I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1950 F/GI 64a 4/ I 36 .37 I

Q K 42 H----4s INVENTOR. CHARLES ADANBERG BY I ATTX

Patented June 30, 1953 G. A. Danberg, Inc., Berlin, Conn, a corporationof Connecticut 7 7 Application mam, 1950, Serial No. 149.9

' This invention relates to clamps for electrically connecting cables tothe terminals of electrical apparatus such as batteries-welding.apparatus, and to other conductive objects, and more par= ticularly to aclamp of the boosterF-type and whichhas spring-pressed jaws forgrippinglthe object with which electrical contact is tofbe made. 5

One object of this invention is to provide a clamp of the above naturein which the'j'aws areprovide'd with a plurality of pairs of "oppositetoothed clamping recesses or surfaces formed on axes which extendindifferent directions, whereby the clamp may selectively grip nuts,cables and battery posts of difierent shapes and may be efficiently usedin 'awkward' or poorly accessible locations. 1. 1. r 'Aiurther object isto provide a clamp of the above nature which will be simple inconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply Referringnow tothe drawings, in which'like reference numerals denote correspondingparts 'tliroughdl'it 'th'e several views, the first form of clamp 'isindicated generally by the numeral. I 0, andicomprises" a pair ofcomplementary sections II, [2, which are swingablyconnected attheircentral portions by means'of a pivot pin I3.

' The clamp se'ctions I I, I2, comprises respective forwardly extendingjaws l4, |5,jand rearwardly extending curved handle portions Ni, H, thelatter being integrally provided with-a pair of opposite inwardlyextending studs" l8, I9, "for 'reta'ining a coil springunder'compression between said handle portions [6,113 whereby the jaws14,15 will. be urged together at all times.-v

I The'clam'p sections .l I, I2 aremade of any suit- 7 able electricallyconductive material; such as cast and manipulate, compact, ornamental inappearance and very efiicient and durable inuse; With these and otherobjects j in view,'there have been illustrated on the accompanying draweingstwo forms in which the invention may conveniently be embodied invpractice. xl'nthedrawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of theimproved booster clamp, showing one way in which abattery terminal maybe gripped therein.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side'view of 'thes'ame showing the jaws asviewed from a directi'on'opposite to that of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is an edge view of the sameshowing the jaws as they would appearwhen viewed from the lines 33 of Figs. 1 and 2, and also showing one wayinwhich a sheet metal object maybe gripped therein} I H Fig. 4 is an endview showingjthe jawsaszthey would appear when .viewed from'the'lines4+4 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. dis a fragmentary perspective view showingone of the jaws of the first form of the inventiorr' Fig. 6 is afragmentary side view,;showing jaw portions .of a second form of clampembodying the invention. Fig. '7 is an edge View of the same asIit wouldappear when viewed from the line 1-1 of Fig. 6', showing-one way inwhich a batteryxterminal maybe gripped therein; "1;

Fig. |8 is an end view of they same showing the jaws as they wouldappear from the line 8-.8 f of Fig.6. f

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the jaws of the second form ofthe invention.

brass, bronze, 'or other acid resistant alloy: The rear end of thehandle portion i! ispreferably provided with an' apertured lug 2|.having a set screw 22 therein for connecting the end of, a cabletotheclampilllu" v The 'jaws I49! 5 are provided intermediatejthelengths thereof with respective inwardlyienlarged portions 23, 24 havinga pairoi opposed recesses 25, 251' which are formed on an axis extendinglongitudinally of the jaws l4, l5, andwhichare longitudinally toothed. v

Qutwardly of the enlarged portions 23, 24 the jaws J4, 15, are providedwith another pairoi opposed recesses 26, 2.6 which are also toothed,andare formed on'anaxis extending longitudinallyiof said "jaws, saidrecesses opening out wardly through the" ends of said jaws. It will benoted, however,.that the recesses 26 are oiiset outwardly of therecesses 26 are adapted to 'define a gripping openingwhiissomewhatlarger than the opening, definj the recesses 25. In'ord er'to.adapt'the jaws M, I5 to' grip'an object sucl'ras a batterypost, a cableor a sheet nietal a'rticle which vextends,laterally of. said jaws, theend portions thereoffare provided with pairs of. longitudinally,extending toothed ridges 12 l 2 I whichar disposed vat oppo'sitesides ofthere cesses 26.;

, end portions ..of the" jaws. l4, [5 are also integrallyprovided'with apair of laterally-ex tendingopposed claws 28, ZQ-having a pair ofopposed toothed recesses 313,130- extending witha tapered formationcross-wise thereof,- or mother words, in'a direction longitudinally ofthe'jaws l4;' I5.:-

The .extremeiends: of the claws 2,8, 29fiorm toothed ridges 3|, 3| whichare approximately parallel to the ridges 21 and are adapted to coact25,;whereby the recesses Operation of first form In operation, thehandles l6, l1 will first be manually compressed to open-,the jaws; 14,-so 1 that they may be applied over the object to be clamped and thenreleased. As shown in Fig- 1, an upstanding battery terminal T may beclamped in the opposed end. recesses 26 by :thezactionof the coil spring20. r 3 I If the terminal T is so located thatthe clamp I0 must beapplied'to it-in:an ofisetpositiongthe pair of recesses in the claws2.8;:29;may:be

used to grip the terminal. r x -.i ii

If the terminal T is in such a location that the clamp I 0 must :beapplied atrightangleszithereto. said terminal may be grippedbetweenthetoothed ridges 21 of the respectivejaws 114,115. oralternatively, if theclamp 10-must-be ofiset irraright angular relationship. tosaid terminal;it maybe gripped between the ridges3l 0f said claws; c If it is desiredto apply the clamp 'lllito asheet metal or other thin member such-:as:the render of a motor vehicle, this: maybe doneingthe manner illustratedin Fig: 3, :whereima fender gripped between the toothedaridges3l;:Alternaiti-vely, the clamp 10 may be. disposed'in a horizontal positionso as. to grip the object between'the pairs of'ridges 21.- 1". i Thus itwill be seen that the clamp I0 may be used for 'efilciently establishingand; maintaining electrical contact with objects; of:a wide yariety ofshapes and sizes, and will operate. properly when applied at various.angles "to the. object. to be gripped. 1 17- Second fo'rm meral 32indicates generally asecond form of the clamp embodyingthe invention,said clamp havinga modified jaw formation but, in othenrespects havingthe same construction as. thefirst formof clamp l0 described above. .1.As shown, the clamp, 32 comprises a pair of opposed complementarysections 33, 34, which are swingably joined by a pivot pin 35', andwhich comprise forwardly extending jaws 36, 31, and rearwardlyeextendingcurved handle portions .38, 39

,The outer end portions of the jaws 3B, 31 are curved inwardly so, asto. terminatein respective opposed laterally-extending ridges40, 4 Landare provided with laterally-toothed concave gripping recesses 42, 43inwardly of said ridges. Adjacent the recesses 42, 43, the jaws 36, 31are integrally provided with respective opposed laterallyextend; ingclaws 44, 45. having concave inner toothed recesses 46, 41, which areformed on anofiset axis extending longitudinally of the jaws36, 31. i

At the opposite edges of the recesses 46, 41, the respective claws 44,45 are formedwithpairsof ridges 48, 49 which extend in a directionlongitudinally of the jaws 3B, 31 and which-are trans- 4 verselytoothed, whereby the second form of clamp 32 will be adapted to firmlygrip thin fiat objects. Operation of second form In use, the laterallyextending claws 44, of the second form of the invention will be foundparticularlyadapted for clamping aniupstanding be grippedinthe recesses42, 43 of the jaws 36, 31.

The two' pairs of ridges 48, 49 will be found useful for gripping eithera'battery terminal, cable ora sheet metal object extending in adirectiontransverse to the jaws 36, 31, while the:end-.ridges.40,..4.-I. will be useful for gripping objects of variousshapes which are disposed in locations which are diflicult of access. I

While there have been disclosed in this specification twoforms inwhiclr'theinventiontmay bezembodied: it is to be iunderstood that-theseforms are. shown for the purpose-of illustration only, and thatthe-invention is: not to be limited to thespecific disclosures, but maybe modified and embodied in various other forms-without .dee' partingfrom its'spirit; .In. short,.1theiinvention includes all of themodifications and embodiments coming within thesscope .of-the followingclaims. :Having thus fully described theinventiomyvhat is claimedasrnew,xand-jor whichxit is desired-to secureLettersPatentis: r. T p::s;: t?

*1. -.In an electric battery terminal clamp, a pair of levers pivotedtogether between theirLendsin plier-like fashion; eachof:said;leverss.having an elongated handleat one end] andaworlceengaging jaw at its otherend, a strong spring locatedfibe tweensaid handlersections for pressing Saidzjaws together, said jaws havingconcave longitudinally; toothed end clampingsectionsandlongitudinallytoothed intermediate ridges inwardlyeoffsetirom said endclamping sections to r'engage irregular electric terminals-and oneofsaid handlezm'embers'havinga cable connecting member;

' 2. An electric battery terminal'clampas defined in claim 1, in whichsaidendworkeengagirig'iaws are also provided with laterallyi toothed:concave sections on. both sides of said longitudinallytoothed sections;e

3. An electric battery terminal clamp as defined in claim 1, in whichprovision is made of a pair ofopposed claws integral withsaid jaws andextending laterally therefrom, :each' .ofjsaid claws .having concavelongitudinally-toothed work-engaging sections. 1 I 4. 'An electricbattery terminal clamp as de-" fined in claim 1, in which provision ismade off-a pair of opposed claws integral with said jaws andextending'laterally therefrom, each of said claws work-'1 engagingsections. 4 CHARLES A. DANBERG; References Cited in the file of thispast UNITED sur es- ATEN S 4 -Date Number Name 721,480 Van Schott Feb.24,1903 968,425 Dusinberre July 5, 1910 1,301,347 Williams Apr., 22,19191,492,657 Walker .May 6., 1924 1,521,197 Lewis Dec. 30, 1924' 1,775,335Wiggins i Sept. 9, 1930 2,071,897 7 'Pazzano Feb. 23, 1937

